Liverpool and Nigerian footballer Asisat Oshoala has won the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year.

The 20-year-old forward is the first player to win the new award from the BBC World Service – voted for by football fans around the world.

A tall pacy striker, she joined Liverpool this January after signing from Nigerian Women’s Championship title winners, Rivers Angels.

Asisat said: “I would like to say thank you to the BBC, to my fans around the world and to everyone who voted. I feel very happy and appreciated. It’s a very good thing for me and also motivation for the World Cup.

“I had a very good 2014 and had the opportunity of going to the under 20’s Women’s World Cup with Nigeria and also won the Golden Ball and Golden Boot so I think maybe that added to the reason why people voted for me.”

Oshoala, who is already in Canada ahead of the World Cup, was presented with the award by the BBC’s Caroline Rigby, project lead on BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year

Former Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard, sent his congratulations.

When asked how she thought Liverpool Ladies would react to the Award, Oshoala said: “I know my coach (Matt Beard) is going to be very happy because before I left the UK he called me and said I hope you win and we’re going to celebrate it when you come back. I think I chose a very good team.”

Oshoala was voted the winner from a shortlist of some of the top names in women’s football that included Verónica Boquete (Spain and FFC Frankfurt), Nadine Kessler (Germany and VFL Wolfsburg), Kim Little (Scotland and Seattle Reign FC) and Marta (Brazil and FC Rosengard).

Asisat Oshoala of Liverpool Ladies celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the WSL match between Liverpool Ladies and Birmingham City Ladies at Select Security Stadium on April 1, 2015 in Widnes, England. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

In terms of a boost for Nigeria’s Women’s World Cup hopes, Oshoala said “It’s a really good thing for us as a team because we know we have something great and now we want to go at the trophy.

“We can do it, we did it in 2014, we can also do it this year as well. I think there is going to be a lot of motivation for women’s football in Nigeria now because of the award and because there are a lot of fans out there. Support for women’s football in Nigeria is now growing very high.”

Mary Hockaday, controller of BBC World Service English, said: “Huge congratulations to Asisat Oshoala on winning the first BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year award. At still only 20, she’s proved herself a formidable talent on the pitch. I’m proud BBC World Service is supporting the women’s game and thrilled with the interest in the Award. I look forward to seeing who comes through in next year’s shortlist.”

Oshoala was the youngest player on the shortlist and Reds manager Matt Beard believes she is “one of the world’s top young footballers”. In a difficult start to the WSL for Liverpool, Oshoala has been an impressive performer down the right hand side of the attack.

She played at the Under-20 World Cup in Canada last summer where she was the tournament’s leading scorer and voted best player. Her performances led Nigeria to the final, where they were narrowly beaten by Germany. Oshoala was also a major influence in the senior Nigeria team who won the African Women’s Championship later in 2014..